Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2015

The Veteran's valvular heart disease has been rated at 100% since January 2009, and he is granted a TDIU due to his unemployability caused by this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease (myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease) is considered a contributory cause of his death from sepsis with fungal peritonitis. The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected condition aided in producing his death, thus granting service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and ischemic heart disease are granted. The TDIU rating is also granted, with a combined disability rating of 80%.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus his cause of death is not service connected. The non-service-connected death pension claim is also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to a need for a new VA examination and further review of his service-connected ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's heart disability is not service connected as it was not incurred or aggravated during his military service and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. The claim for PTSD has been denied previously, but new evidence received since the last denial may reopen the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and completing the VA Form 21-8940. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Veteran is not entitled to a compensable evaluation for his service-connected coronary artery calcifications from May 1, 2003 to October 8, 2014 and is only entitled to a 30 percent evaluation from October 9, 2014 to the present.

The Board has not addressed the issue of entitlement to a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, and it is remanded for issuance of an SOC or SSOC.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. He seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, higher ratings for depressive disorder and ischemic heart disease, and TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was denied due to the lack of a prior denial and no other claims submitted before February 19, 2009.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction were not present during service or for many years thereafter and are not otherwise etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between his heart condition and his period of active duty training in June 2002.

The Board denied a higher initial disability rating for coronary artery disease from July 13, 2001 to April 27, 2005 and in excess of 10 percent from August 1, 2005 to May 3, 2010.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and residual scars, status post coronary artery bypass graft, meet the criteria for a TDIU due to his physical limitations.

The VA determined that the Veteran does not have any chronic additional disability resulting from a general anesthesia administered during an endoscopy procedure in November 2010.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to incomplete development of the record, including a need for an addendum opinion from the December 2014 VA examiner.

The Veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the relationship between his conditions and herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus with hypertension and bilateral knee condition, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted his claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, securing SSA disability benefits application records, and scheduling a VA social and industrial survey.